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TV reminder: ‘The Walking Dead’ returns tonight at 9PM on AMC [Update: record ratings]

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A friendly reminder: The Walking Dead returns from its extended hiatus tonight at 9PM on AMC. Refer to this previous post for a sneak peek at the midseason premiere episode “Nebraska.” Six episodes will run uninterrupted through March 18. Peer in the gallery below to view a handful of new stills. Also returning tonight is the Walking Dead after-show Taking Dead hosted by Chris Hardwick. Tonight’s guests are showrunner Glen Mazzara and musician Dave Navarro.

Update: The ratings are in and The Walking Dead has done it again. The midseason premiere hit series highs in all major categories: it attracted 8.1 million total viewers, 5.4 million in the adults 18-49 demo, and 4.4 million in adults 25-54. These are record-breaking figures; they managed to beat out the previous record holder–the season 2 premiere of The Walking Dead. The midseason premiere was up 12% and 6% in the two aforementioned demos, respectively. As far as AMC is concerned, this show will remain on the air for much of the foreseeable future. Dead heads, rejoice.

[Images via IGN]

Enticing ‘Game of Thrones’ season 2 photos enclosed [Update: teaser poster, too!]

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If the previous two trailers weren’t enough to amp you up for the return of Game of Thrones, this collection of photos should do the trick. Open the gallery below and check out what your favorite GoT characters might be up to in season 2; there are even a few newcomers thrown into them mix. The HBO fantasy series returns April 1.

Update: A tantalizing teaser poster awaits after the break.

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[Images via IGN] Continue reading Enticing ‘Game of Thrones’ season 2 photos enclosed [Update: teaser poster, too!] →

This week in NEW TV: ‘Smash’ & ‘The River’

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MONDAY

Smash — NBC — 10PM

I’m sure you’ve seen ads everyone for NBC’s upcoming musical drama Smash starring Katherine McPhee of American Idol fame. The question remains: is this show worth checking out? With a talented ensemble cast including Debra Messing (Will & Grace), Jack Davenport (FlashForward), Anjelica Huston, and Megan Hilty (of Broadway fame in 9 to 5: The Musical), exciting musical numbers, and a compelling plot that’s expected to captivate viewers quickly, Smash is definitely a new series you don’t want to miss out on giving a try. It’s easy to compare this show to FOX’s Glee since both of them include characters bursting out into song multiple times per episode, but you should know that it will be immediately apparent that the two don’t share all that much in common. For one this show tells a grander story of two aspiring artists vying for the lead role in a Broadway musical; Rachel Berry has time before she makes it that far. This story will encourage competition, backstabbing, and everything else that comes with a dramatic rise to stardom. From the commercials you should have an idea that Smash will try its best to weave a character-driven story with an extraordinary cast consisting of real-life singers and talented veteran actors. That should be enough to get you started on the pilot and from there we’ll see where it takes us. My prediction? NBC has a Smash hit and home-run with this one.

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TUESDAY

The River — ABC — 9PM (two-hour premiere)

Lots and lots of hype is surrounding The River, ABC’s fright fest from the creator of Paranormal Activity Oren Peli. Is all of it justifiable? I scream with a resounding yes. As you know I was fortunate enough to screen the pilot at Comic Con and I must say this show is not for the faint hearted. This show is genuinely scary and the strong pilot will make you forcibly jump out of your seat, I can promise you that. The eight episode first season will play like a miniseries, taking you on an adventure through the Amazon River in search of wildlife expert and TV personality Dr. Emmett Cole (played wonderfully by Bruce Greenwood). The rescue team consists of Cole’s wife played by Leslie Hope (24) and son Joe Anderson (Across The Universe). Paul Blackthorne (24) leads a camera crew that documents all the craziness that goes down during the mission. Though The River will frighten you at the same time it will grip you and keep you engaged from the start. The Amazonian backdrop and the various plot devices utilized to their advantages (including shaky cam, docu-style taping and elements of supernatural surprise and edge-of-your-seat it’s too quiet…SCARES) will hook you in the first hour and it’ll be hard to drop this show from your weekly schedule. The mystery of Cole’s disappearance will keep you guessing at who in the ensemble cast may be part of a larger conspiracy. The stars have aligned leading up to the premiere of this show; the cast is great, the plot is intriguing, the pedigree is there with Peli and executive prouder Steven Spielberg. And if FX’s American Horror Story proved anything, it’s that US audiences are drawn to TV experiences like they’ve never witnessed before. I can say without hesitation that The River is excitedly different from anything produced for the small screen sitting in your room.

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[Images via IGN 1, 2]

TV reminder: ‘Once Upon a Time’ premieres tonight at 8PM on ABC

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The imaginative new show from Lost scribes Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis premieres tonight at 8PM on ABC. Once Upon a Time takes place in Storybrooke, Maine, a magical place that appears normal at first glance but when examined a bit more closely it actually is home to a myriad of fairytale characters who lead ordinary lives and have forgotten their true identities. Emma Swan (House‘s Jennifer Morrison) is the show’s protagonist, and her son Henry (Jared Gilmore) is the one who draws her to the mysterious Storybrooke in an attempt to find answers and ultimately lift the Evil Queen’s (Lana Parilla) amnesic cruse. Sounds like fun to me. Once also stars Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White, Joshua Dallas as Prince Charming, and Robert Carlyle as Rumpelstiltskin. Lost fans, pay close attention during tonight’s pilot; Horowitz and Kitsis have made it known that the episode contains numerous references to their old show. For example, the giant clock in Storybrooke is frozen in time at precisely 8:15. See what else you can find. Character stills and pictures from the pilot hang in the galleries below.

Bonus! Can’t wait a minute longer to watch? IMDb is streaming the episode right here, right now!

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[Images via IGN]

TV reminder: ‘The Walking Dead’ returns tonight at 9PM on AMC [Update: The ratings are in…]

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Rick Grimes and company return tonight in the season 2 premiere of AMC’s The Walking Dead. There’s a new showrunner in town (season 1 producer Glenn Mazzara has replaced Frank Darabont at the top), but you can expect the epic storytelling and zombie-infested thrills to absolutely remain in tact. If the season 2 trailer that debuted at Comic Con has anything to say, it’s that this time around every aspect of this amazing show is only going to get better. The creative team led by Darabont and comic book originator Robert Kirkman quickly found their footing in the premiere season, introducing the wide range of characters with precision, emotional impact, and top notch storytelling. This time around AMC is allotting the show 13 episodes; if you were wowed by all that went down in season 1 (which contained a 6-episode story arc), we can only imagine what they are going to do with over double the amount of time. After eyeballing the season 2 poster (which rivals the season 1 poster in how awesome it is), it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the survivors will reach Hershel’s farm, an important stop on their journey to salvation as the readers of the comics already know. As a personal aside, I really hope that Merle Dixon (Michael Rooker) returns as The Governor!

The Walking Dead returns tonight at 9PM on AMC in an expanded 90-minute episode. FYI, the season will be split in two. Seven episodes will air consecutively this fall and then the show will go on an extended hiatus starting November 4. The remaining six episodes will air beginning February 12 in the new year. Lastly, don’t forget to watch Talking Dead, a live half-hour after-show hosted by Chris Hardwick that will air immediately follow each episode and recap and discuss it. Sunday night is about to become the best time of the week.

Gallery 1 contains shiny character profiles; in the one below that you’ll find stills from the premiere ep “What Lies Ahead.”

Update: The Walking Dead season 2 premiere scared up quite the audience. Check out these record-breaking numbers for a cable program: the premiere at 9PM drew 7.3 million total viewers and 4.8 million viewers in the coveted 18-49 demographic. Compared to last year’s pilot, that’s up 38 percent in total viewers (last year: 5.3 million), 36 percent in 18-49 (3.6 million), and 35 percent in 25-54 (3.1 million). And if you factor in the two encore presentations that followed at 10:30PM and 12:30AM, a grand total of 11 million tuned into the season 2 opener. This marks a series high for AMC’s gory staple.

AMC president Charlie Collier shared his excitement over the big ratings. “The Walking Dead is one of those rare television programs that reaches both a core genre fan as well as broad audiences simply looking for a great, character-based story. That The Walking Dead is now the most watched drama in the history of basic cable is staggering, just like our zombies.”

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[Images via IGN; Deadline]

TV reminder: ‘Bored to Death’ returns tonight at 9PM on HBO

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This post marks the end of the This week in NEW TV installments. Over the course of the next three weeks, three new shows (2 returning and 1 new) will premiere. It begins with…

HBO’s Bored to Death returns tonight for its third season at 9PM. Have you been missing author-turned-P.I. Jonathan Ames, his best friend Ray Hueston, and his boss George Christopher in your life? Well tonight white wine lover Jason Schwartzman, pot smoking Zach Galifianakis, and the versatile, sex-driven Ted Danson (he now stars in this show and CSI) are back in the season three premiere entitled “The Blonde in the Woods.” That happens to be the name of Jonathan’s new book. Also happening in the premiere: Ray hangs out with his sperm donation and George reunites with his daughter. If you’re not watching this show you should be; it’s a riot. Check out stills from tonight’s episode in the gallery below.

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[Images via IGN]

This week in NEW TV: ‘American Horror Story’

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Last year I posted my Fall TV Preview. This time around I’m breaking that idea in pieces with a new kind of post called This week in NEW TV. Essentially they will serve as expanded versions of my usual TV Reminders. These posts will crop up through October as new TV shows premiere this fall. I will recommend new shows to watch and remind you when returning favorites are coming back. If you want a broader overview of all the new series airing on the big four networks, check out 2011-12 Upfronts coverage.

Note: This week contains only 1 new program, so I thought I’d take the time to comment on some fan-favorite returning series, too.

::SUNDAY::

How To Make It In America  — HBO — 10:30PM

Ben (Bryan Greenberg) and Cam (Victor Rasuk) are back to make the big dream come true in NYC. In the season 2 opener the boys return from a successful business trip in Tokyo with CRISP-branded jeans in tow. We’ll also check in with Cam’s overbearing cousin Rene Calderon (Rene Calderon) and his Rasta Mansta energy drink empire, Domingo Brown (Kid Cudi) will become a more familiar face on the show this year, and Lake Bell’s Rachel still isn’t over ex-boyfriend Ben. Now, you’re going to want to look after the break for some HTMIIA goodies: a Luis Guzman-inspired music video, a season 1 recap, a mixtape, and more! For now, look in the gallery below for some stills.

::MONDAY::

House — FOX — 9PM

In the season 8 premiere, we find Dr. Gregory House in jail. Why? Because in last season’s finale he recklessly drove his car into Cuddy’s house and nearly killed her, her daughter, and other guests. While in lockup, House meets Breaking In star Odette Annable and quickly takes a liking to her. Is it because of her looks, her brains, or both? We’ll have to tune in to find out. Rounding out the Hugh Laurie, Jesse Spencer, Omar Epps, Peter Jacobson, and Robert Sean Leonard-led cast is newcomer Charlyne Yi, a comedian best known for her Knocked Up role as the spacey Jodi. It’ll be interesting to see how she blends in with this veteran ensemble cast. It will be equally interesting to see who fills in Cuddy’s shoes to become the new Dean of Medicine; Lisa Edelstein is out (as is movie star Olivia Wilde) and word has it that the new Dean will be selecting internally. I was leaning towards Leonard as my top pick, but now I’m imaging Omar Epps in the position. We shall see… Also note that this may very well be the final season of House. Everything is up in the air for now, and we should receive word from FOX executives in the months ahead. Journey below to view some key art and stills from the premiere.

::WEDNESDAY::

American Horror Story — FX — 10PM

Here’s the new show worth checking out this week. American Horror Story comes from Nip/Tuck and Glee collaborators Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk and it’s being billed as the scariest project developed for TV in quite some time. Dylan McDermott (The Practice) and Connie Britton (Friday Night Lights) headline a stacked cast that find themselves mentally trapped inside a haunted house. Described as a psychosexual thriller, [the show] centers on a therapist and his wife who, dealing with the aftermath of the husband’s adultery, move along with their kids into a new house that seems to know all about their fears and plays on them. The promotional campaign for this show has been nothing short of bizarre, and the trailer snippets that have leaked are oh-so-intriguing to say the least. You can read more about the development of American Horror Story in a previous post, and check out stills from the spooky series below.

South Park — Comedy Central — 10PM

The second half of South Park season 15 begins Wednesday night. The network hints that “everything must change” following the cynical finale that last aired. In the episode titled “You’re Getting Old” it seemed like creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker were taking a stand against their recent material by calling it stale. So they decided to make at least one major change: Stan’s parents are getting divorced. Whether or not this new development will remain canon as the new season unfolds is still up for discussion. Stone and Parker might just pull their usual and “restart” everything–who knows. When the mid-season premiere passes, let’s just hope that the material is fresh. No matter what, though, South Park has been renewed through 2013 so the pop culture icon is staying put for at least a little while longer. Continue reading This week in NEW TV: ‘American Horror Story’ →

This week in NEW TV: ‘Terra Nova’

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Last year I posted my Fall TV Preview. This time around I’m breaking that idea in pieces with a new kind of post called This week in NEW TV. Essentially they will serve as expanded versions of my usual TV Reminders. These posts will crop up through October as new TV shows premiere this fall. I will recommend new shows to watch and remind you when returning favorites are coming back. If you want a broader overview of all the new series airing on the big four networks, check out 2011-12 Upfronts coverage.

::SUNDAY::

Give this pilot episode a chance: Pan Am (ABC, 10PM)

Returning shows you should be watching: The Simpsons, The Cleveland Show, Family Guy, American Dad (FOX, 8PM-10PM)

::MONDAY::

Terra Nova — FOX — 8PM

The high budget sci-fi series involving time-travel and dinosaurs from Steven Speilberg, Peter Chernin, and Brannon Braga premieres Monday night. FOX is promoting it as a “TV event” since the pilot runs two hours long. With such a high pedigree behind it, a promise for spectacular visuals and special effects, and an intriguing premise (man is sent back in time to prehistoric Earth in an attempt to save a futuristic, disintegrating human race), Terra Nova is sure to please genre fans and pique the mass viewer’s interest.

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Reminder: 2 Broke Girls airs at its regular 8:30PM slot Monday night.

::WEDNESDAY::

Returning show you should be watching: Happy Endings (ABC, 9:30PM)

[Images via IGN]

This week in NEW TV: ‘2 Broke Girls’, ‘New Girl’, ‘The X Factor’ & ‘Person of Interest’

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Last year I posted my Fall TV Preview. This time around I’m breaking that idea in pieces with a new kind of post called This week in NEW TV. Essentially they will serve as expanded versions of my usual TV Reminders. These posts will crop up through October as new TV shows premiere this fall. I will recommend new shows to watch and remind you when returning favorites are coming back. If you want a broader overview of all the new series airing on the big four networks, check out 2011-12 Upfronts coverage.

::MONDAY::

2 Broke Girls — CBS — 9:30PM

Kat Dennings and Beth Behrs star in this new sitcom that’s got a ton of positive buzz. They are being described as a young, female version of the odd couple; Dennings has street smarts and works two jobs just get by, while Behrs is a spoiled princess who’s being forced to work the waitress job due to a string of bad luck and misfortune in her life. The writing is supposedly stellar and the comedic situations that are set up each week are easily relatable: these girls are living in a bad economy and we get to watch them duke it out as minimum wage waitresses to survive. Trailer after the break. (Note: After this week 2 Broke Girls will air in its normal Monday night slot at 8:30PM.)

Give this pilot episode a chance: The Playboy Club (NBC, 10PM)

Returning shows you should be watching: Hawaii Five-0 (CBS, 10PM); Castle (ABC, 10PM)

Charlie Sheen alert: Don’t forget the Roast of Charlie Sheen hosted by Seth MacFarlane airs Monday night at 9PM on Comedy Central. And if you’re interested to see how his Two and a Half Men replacement Ashton Kutcher performs, DVR the CBS sitcom; it also airs at 9PM.

::TUESDAY::

New Girl — FOX — 9PM

Zooey Deschanel is the New Girl and boy is she “adorkable.” The ads plastered all around town don’t have to tell us that. Much like 2 Broke Girls, this show has a lot of exciting positive buzz surrounding it. If there’s one new comedy you tune into this fall season, this is it. The 500 Days of Summer actress brings her enviable charm to the small screen, and we get to watch what happens when her character goes through a messy breakup and then moves into an apartment occupied by three guys. Fair warning: Deschanel can carry a tune and she will be showing off her skills more than once throughout the pilot and series. Are you bouncing up and down in anticipation? Relax–you can get a head start and download the pilot episode for free via iTunes right now. (Note: Damon Wayans Jr. appears in the pilot episode, but he gets replaced by Lamorne Morris after that. Why? Because ABC’s Happy Endings got renewed (thankfully) and he is obligated to remain on that show. New Girl will address the switcheroo.)

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Returning shows you should be watching: Glee (FOX, 8PM), Raising Hope (FOX, 9:30PM) …so basically Tuesday night you won’t need to change the channel–FOX comedies dominate.

::WEDNESDAY::

The X Factor — FOX — 8PM

Four words: Simon Cowell is back. And so is his Idol muse Paula Abdul. They will be joined by Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger and former Def Jam CEO L.A. Reid at the judges table for this new singing competition imported from the UK. Sure it’s reality TV, but you cannot deny how much fun it is to watch Cowell destroy dreams. Get a lengthy 8-minute taste of what’s in store right here. (Note: British judge Cheryl Cole appears in the first half of the episode and then she vanishes. Don’t let your eyes play tricks on you.)

Give this pilot episode a chance: Revenge (ABC, 10PM)

Returning shows you should be watching: The Middle (ABC, 8PM, Glee‘s Chord Overstreet (Sam) guest stars in the 9/28 episode), Modern Family (ABC, 9PM, special 1 hour episode)

::THURSDAY::

Person of Interest — CBS — 9PM

From producer J.J. Abrams (Lost, Fringe) and writer Jonathan Nolan (The Dark Knight) comes a show with an intricate plot shrouded in mystery and paranoia starring Lost‘s Michael Emerson (Ben Linus) and Christ himself Jim Caviezel. Really, need I say more? The story follows Caviezel, a presumed dead former-CIA agent, as he teams up with Emerson’s mysterious Mr. Finch to prevent crimes before they happen. Finch understands the ins and outs of the surveillance technology that’s installed inside every crevice of New York City, and he uses this information to his advantage to save lives. I was lucky enough to view the pilot at Comic Con earlier this summer, and I can say with full confidence that this show is not one to miss. It’s a classic, adrenaline-filled procedural with a Michael Emerson-fronted mythos attached. I mean, what more could you ask for?

Returning shows you should be watching: The Big Bang Theory (CBS, 8PM); Community (NBC, 8PM), Parks and Recreation (NBC, 8:30PM), The Office (NBC, 9PM)

::FRIDAY::

Give this pilot episode a chance: A Gifted Man (CBS, 8PM)

Returning show you should be watching: Fringe (FOX, 9PM) Continue reading This week in NEW TV: ‘2 Broke Girls’, ‘New Girl’, ‘The X Factor’ & ‘Person of Interest’ →

This week in NEW TV: ‘Ringer’ & ‘Up All Night’

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Last year I posted my Fall TV Preview. This time around I’m breaking that idea in pieces with a new kind of post called This week in NEW TV. Essentially they will serve as expanded versions of my usual TV Reminders. These posts will crop up through October as new TV shows premiere this fall. I will recommend new shows to watch and remind you when returning favorites are coming back. If you want a broader overview of all the new series airing on the big four networks, check out 2011-12 Upfronts coverage.

::TUESDAY::

Ringer — The CW — 9PM

Now, I know what you’re thinking: why am I recommending a show that’s airing on The CW, the network that’s best known for attracting teenage girls to Gossip Girl and One Tree Hill? There are many reasons. The first, obviously, is this one: Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) returns to television as Ringer’s protagonists. That’s right, more than one. She stars as Bridget and her twin sister Siobhan. Need another reason to watch? Lost‘s Nestor Carbonell (Richard) begins his post-Island career here, shadowy eye-liner still in tact. And here’s another–the neo-noir themed story is promised to be filled to the brim with plot twists galore. Just watch the intriguing trailer after the break and you’ll see what I mean. And if it’s any consolation, Ringer was originally developed to air on The CW’s sister network CBS. Lesson: don’t miss out due to preconceived notions regarding the net that air The Vampire Diaries. Pilot stills and character profiles sit in the gallery below.

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::WEDNESDAY::

Up All Night — NBC — 10PM

This new comedy from Emily Spivey (Parks and Recreation, Saturday Night Live) is being described as “an irreverent look at modern parenthood.” It stars the always hilarious Christina Applegate, Will Arnett, and Maya Rudolph. Expect Up All Night to bring an onslaught of laughs and remain grounded with family values attached. A damn funny trailer sits after the break. NBC is calling Wednesday night’s episode a “series preview;” the following week the show will air during its regular 9PM timeslot. Pilot stills sit in the gallery below.

Continue reading This week in NEW TV: ‘Ringer’ & ‘Up All Night’ →

First production stills from ‘The Walking Dead’ season 2

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Remember when we got our first look at AMC’s The Walking Dead last June 12? Exactly one year later we get not one but two production stills from the zombie survival series’ second season (catch the other image after the break). The undead never looked so good. Executive producer/director/writer Frank Darabont shares his excitement over the new season. “At this moment, I’m standing on a stretch of post-apocalypse interstate in Georgia, littered with abandoned cars and blessing my good luck to be reunited with our amazing cast, and our fantastic directors and crew.” The 13-episode second season is set to premiere this October.

[Via IGN] Continue reading First production stills from ‘The Walking Dead’ season 2 →

TV Reminder: Childrens Hospital returns tonight at midnight on Adult Swim

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The hilarious web series turned TV show Childrens Hospital returns tonight for its third season. And the whole gang of idiots is back! Creator Rob Corrdry reprises his role as Dr. Blake Downs, a clown who believes in the healing power of laughter. But as we learned last season, Childrens Hospital is in fact a show within a show, so these characters are actually playing “doctors” on the show. So for instance, Corrdry’s Dr. Blake Downs is really a man named Cutter Spindell. The same goes for the rest of the all-star cast: Ingrid Hagerstown is Dr. Valerie Flame (Malin Akerman), Dixie Peters is Dr. Cat Black (Lake Bell), Lynn Williams is Dr. Lola Spratt (Erinn Hayes), Just Falcon is Dr. Glenn Richie (Ken Marino), Rob Huebel is Dr. Owen Maestro (Rob Huebel), Lady Jane Bentick-Smith is Chief (Megan Mullally); and Fred Nunley is hospital administrator Sy Mittleman (Henry Winkler).

This series is more than a parody of Grey’s Anatomy-type shows. It completely does away with episode continuity and this makes for an off-the-walls, truly organic laugh-fest every week. In an interview with IGN, Erinn Hayes explains it. “We don’t have any regard for episode to episode continuity,” she says. “There’s a chart somewhere in the production offices that shows who is having a relationship with who in a particular episode so they don’t have too many of the same pairings. They don’t want repeats.” Co-star Rob Huebel adds, “We have no continuity. One episode I’m dating one girl and the next episode I’m married to someone else. There’s no continuity at all so we don’t care about that. The only thing we really care about is that it’s funny.” And forget about medical training. Hayes continues, “This season there have been two scenes where we have to actually look like we’re trying to save someone’s life and we just have no idea what to do. There’s not even a hint of reality. All we knew how to do was check his pulse and say ‘we’re losing him.'”

The 14-episode third season of Childrens Hospital premieres tonight at midnight on Adult Swim. The uninterrupted 15 minute episode is titled “Run, Dr. Lola Spratt, Run” and is about a kid getting stuck in quicksand; watch out for guest stars Jon Hamm (Mad Men) and Lisa Edelstein (House). See images from the ep below, and watch a preview after the break. New episodes will air every Thursday at midnight. And if you missed the first two seasons, they’re now available on DVD.

Continue reading TV Reminder: Childrens Hospital returns tonight at midnight on Adult Swim →